I’M Intelligent Memory, a Hong Kong based fabless DRAM manufacturer, announces availability of the world's first 8 Gigabit (Gb) DDR3 components with a single chip-select, doubling the amount of memory per chip compared to other DDR3 DRAM devices on the market. Based on these new 8Gb components, I’M is also introducing the first 16 Gigabyte (GB) DDR3 UDIMM and SO-DIMM memory modules with optional ECC error-correction.

The JEDEC specification JESD79-3 has always allowed an 8Gb density for DDR3 memory devices. While most DRAM manufactures are waiting for a 2x nm process to fit such high memory capacity into a single DRAM IC package, I’M has developed it’s own a revolutionary way to manufacture 8Gb DDR3 components with single chip-select utilizing existing 30nm manufacturing technologies.

The I’M 8Gb components are 100% compatible with the JEDEC standard pinout, timing and row/column/bank addressing, providing the simplest path to higher density DDR3 upgrades. These devices allow for a new level of memory capacity without altering existing board-layouts or designs.

Orderable devices include a x8 (1Gx8) configuration in FBGA 78 ball package, a x16 (512Mx16) type in FBGA 96 ball package as well as a x32 (256Mx32) configuration in FBGA 136 ball package. In addition, I’M offers DDR3L low-voltage (1.35V) versions of these devices. The products are available in commercial and industrial temperature ranges.

Based on their new 8Gb device, I’M releases the very first 16GB DDR3 240 Pin unbuffered DIMMs (UDIMMs) and 204 Pin SO-DIMMs to the market. These new high-capacity memory modules are also available with a 72 Bit width for ECC error correction. The 8Gb components and 16GB modules have been verified to be compatible with processors and microcontrollers from AMD, Cavium, Freescale, Tilera and many others. Intel currently supports 8Gb components and 16GB modules only on their Atom C2000 series (Codename 'Avoton') and Atom E3800 (Baytrail-I) processor series. New BIOS versions for these platforms are required to use the memory and are available now.

For most standard Intel processors that are used in desktop PC’s, laptops or servers, Intel is not yet supporting the new high capacity memories. According to Intel, “it is not POR” (-> Plan Of Record) for them to analyze the possibility to support them, unless they can see a demand from the market for these new memory products.

Notebook, PC and motherboard manufacturers such as HP, Lenovo, Apple, Dell or others may contact their Intel field representative to push and request a change of Intel’s POR to support the new memory through future BIOS/MRC updates. End-Customer may contact their board-manufacturers customer-support to ask for compatibility of the memories. I’M is also working with Intel to address this gap.

ASUS confirmed that it is now possible to upgrade their X79-DELUXE, RAMPAGE IV BLACK EDITION and other ASUS X79 platform motherboards with 8 pieces of IM 16GB DDR3 modules to reach a total of 128GB memory utilizing their newest own BIOS/MRC. Most Intel LGA-2011-socket CPUs like Sandybridge E or Ivybridge E can be used on these ASUS X79 motherboards. By offering their own special BIOS and Memory Reference Code to support the new memory on Intel CPU’s, ASUS shows their engineering-expertise for high-end products.

Motherboard manufacturers such as ASRock, Supermicro, AIC, Portwell and others have verified and approved the IM 16GB DDR3 memory modules for many motherboards based on AMD, Tilera, Intel's C2000 ‘Avoton’ series and other processors already. The German company Rausch Netzwerktechnik announced their Intel Avoton-based ‘Tormenta Megacore Blade-System’ to be upgradable to an impressive 12,800 GB of RAM with Intelligent Memory 16GB ECC SO-DIMMs.

With the new I’M Intelligent Memory 8Gb DDR3 chips and high density DDR3 modules, I’M sees potential markets in embedded/industrial, networking and telecommunication applications, as well as PC, laptops, servers and microservers, allowing to reach previously unattainable memory capacities.